MADURAI: The proposed changes and draft report of new rules released by the University Grants Commission (UGC) recently were strongly condemned and opposed by Makkal Kalvi Kootiyakkam (MKK) which is a leading forum of academic fraternity in Tamil Nadu.
“According to the UGC draft report, the person to be selected a Vice-Chancellor of university need not necessarily be a professor, they can be in positions outside the academic field also…The qualification is being expanded to include businessmen and bureaucrats so that they can become VCs. This proposed change of rules by the apex body of higher education will create problems. This is a plan that paves the way for corporate companies to indirectly control universities,” MKK Coordinators Prof.R.Murali, Prof.V.Arasu and Prof.P.Sivakumar and academician Kurinji have cautioned in a press statement issued yesterday-January 8th 2025.
Prof.R.Murali has stated that appointing persons who have no experience in universities or in colleges as Vice-Chancellors will lead to confusion in the field of education and administration.
“The Governor who is appointed by the central government will appoint any non-academic person of his choice as Vice-Chancellors of State universities. The present financial crisis in State universities in Tamil Nadu would lead to corporate executives easily take over the varsities and make them into commercial enterprises, thereby making higher education not affordable for the poor students,” the Makkal Kalvi Kootiyakkam has said in its pres statement issued from Madurai yesterday objecting the proposed changes by the UGC.
Condemning the Central government’s move to establish their political influence in education, Prof.R.Murali also objected the proposed change to have only representative from either the Senate or the Syndicate in the VC Search Committee.
“The draft proposes to have one UGC representative in the selection committee of vice-chancellor. Apart from this, there will also be a Governor’s representative in the VC search panel. So, the Governor will have the say to decide who will be the vice-chancellor, and it means that the State government or teachers will have no role in VC selection. The MKK condemns this proposed change appearing in the draft rules,” Prof.R.Murali added and informed that MKK will send its detailed observations and comments to the UGC soon.
